Strategies for Enforcement
KC Scout is coordinating with law enforcement agencies to create the strategy for
I–435. Strategies across the country involve:
- Requiring the penalty for violating a meter to be the same as that for violating
a red light at a signalized intersection.
- Monitoring meters and reporting high violation areas to the appropriate agencies.
- Installing “tattle-tale” indicators on the back of the signal heads to support enforcement
downstream.
- Identifying an enforcement area with each ramp meter to provide a safe observation
point from which officers can monitor the meters and issue citations without impacting
ramp traffic.
- Coordinating an enforcement schedule.
Discrete Monitoring
Ramp meters work and look similar to traffic signals and drivers must consider and
obey them. Tattle-tale indicators allow law enforcement officials the ability to
discretely monitor the meters. The indicator shines a white light when the ramp
meter signal is red. The light stops shining when the signal changes to green.
Each indicator is equipped with a sun visor and can project light in any environment.
In normal conditions an indicator can be viewed from up to 300 feet away. Monitoring
law enforcement officials can view the indicator's light from the rear view mirrors
of their cars as they are parked in enforcement areas.